Srimad Bhagavata Skanda 2 – Bhakti to Lord Sarvātmā
"The Lord Sriman Narayana is the very essence of divine virtues, self-sustained, radiant with light, overflowing with boundless knowledge and bliss. He is the ‘Creator of The Universe,’ which encompasses countless forms of Himself, both the living beings and the non-living things. He sustains, transforms, and governs it all — bestowing both ignorance and wisdom, binding beings to the cycle of birth and death, and offering liberation to those who seek moksha. Thus, He is the Param, the Supreme.
In the dawn of creation, He manifested the first being, the four-faced Brahma, and gifted him the knowledge required to bring the cosmos into being. Through His blessings, wisdom unfolds. Though He seeks no gain for Himself, He creates and upholds the cosmos for the welfare of all living beings, endowed with all the wisdom necessary for such a grand design. For He is neither a juggler, nor a deceiver, crafting illusions in this world. Untainted by any flaw, He is the Satyam — the absolute truth.
With reverence, let us meditate upon Lord Sriman Narayana, the embodiment of Satyam and Param."
"The Srimad Bhagavata encompasses the entirety of Dharma, safeguarding the soul from falling by purifying it, and guiding the individual soul towards the divine path leading to the Lord. This sacred path calls for unwavering devotion — a life dedicated to honoring, worshipping, admiring, and praising the Lord, free from jealousy, expectation, or deceit. As one treads upon this path, all obstacles dissolve, prosperity is bestowed, and the heart becomes imbued with virtue, turning one into a Sajjana, a virtuous soul. Above all, it fortifies bhakti, deepening one’s devotion.
Thus, the Srimad Bhagavata, composed by the Lord in the form of sage Veda Vyasa shines as a beacon of truth, revealing Himself as Supreme Soul eternally resides in the heart of every living being."
"Salutations to Lord Sriman Narayana, the eternal support of all, including the divine Goddess Lakshmi, and the very essence of the Srimad Bhagavata. Salutations to Lord Veda Vyasa, the revered composer of this sacred scripture. Salutations to Devi, the Goddess of Fortune, who perpetually serves the Lord and bestows the blessings of abundance upon all Bhagavatas, enriching them with the divine knowledge of Srimad Bhagavata — a wealth that encompasses Jnana, Bhakti, and Vairagya.
Salutations to the Gods Brahma and Vayu, the noblest of beings. Salutations to Sarasvati, the Goddess of Knowledge and Devotion, who inspires both wisdom and bhakti. Salutations to the divine Garuda, Sesha and Shiva, the greatest among the Vaishnavas.
Salutations to the Srimad Bhagavata, the sacred text that brings forth eternal victory and spiritual triumph."
The brightness of the Sun, Fire, Moon, Planets, Stars, Gems, Precious stones and Lightening put together is just like a firefly near the astonishing brilliance emanating from your lotus of Heart wherein the five forms of Lord Sri Rama, Sri Narasimha, Sri Veda Vyasa, Sri Krishna and Sriman Narayana are present in a significant way bestowing you the Brahmavarchas or the Sacred Knowledge.
Gentle & Holy Sage, Sri Raghavendra, I worship you by surrendering myself.
In the Maṅgalācaraṇa at the beginning of every blog, the sacred benediction resounds—a call to stillness, to behold Satyam (Truth) and Param (Supreme) Śrīman Nārāyaṇa. Sage Vyāsa does not merely invite ritual; he unveils essence—eternal, infinite, pure. This is not a ceremony—it is cosmic remembrance, where Truth takes form, and the Supreme radiates as inner light.
Through the grace of Śukacharya, the first two chapters of Skanda 2 reveal the path of Satyam–Param–Dhimahi—a meditation upon the Supreme Truth. The highest goal attainable through any spiritual discipline—be it Jñāna Yoga (path of knowledge), Bhakti Yoga (path of devotion), Karma Yoga (path of selfless action), or steadfastness in one’s dharma—is to remember Śrīman Nārāyaṇa, or one of His divine forms, in the final breaths of life.
To ensure that His holy names, divine forms, sacred attributes, and eternal līlā (divine play) illuminate the mind at the time of death, one must cultivate remembrance through lifelong spiritual practice. For in those final moments, the remembrance of the Supreme Lord liberates the soul from the cycle of birth and death—forever.
To aid this sacred journey, the entire universe becomes His form—the Virāt Puruṣa. The lotus of the heart becomes His throne. From stars to soul, from form to flame, the seeker surrenders. Breath steadies. Mind silences. OM awakens. The Name arises. It embraces the dhāma (sacred abode) and līlā, guiding the soul on its journey homeward.
Not dissolution—but divine belonging.
घ्राणेन गन्धं रसनेन वै रसं
रूपं च दृष्ट्या श्वसनं त्वचैव ।
श्रोत्रेण चोपेत्य नभोगुणत्वं
प्राणेन चाकूतिमुपैति योगी ॥ २९॥
स भूतसूक्ष्मेन्द्रियसन्निकर्षं
मनोमयं देवमयं विकार्यम् ।
संसाद्य गत्या सह तेन याति
विज्ञानतत्त्वं गुणसन्निरोधम् ॥ ३०॥
तेनात्मनाऽऽत्मानमुपैति शान्त-
मानन्दमानन्दमयोऽवसाने ।
एतां गतिं भागवतीं गतो यः
स वै पुनर्नेह विषज्जतेऽङ्ग ॥ ३१॥
Continuing the discourse, Sri Shukacharya says, “As the Yogi rises beyond Satyaloka, shedding even the subtlest layers of form, the final journey begins. The coverings of the Linga Deha, the subtle body that once bound him to identity, begin to fall away. The senses, refined yet still part of Prakriti, dissolve—each returning to its source. The power of smell returns to the subtle essence of fragrance. Taste flows back into taste-perception. Sight merges with the perception of form. Touch and hearing, too, fold into their subtle counterparts.
Likewise, the organs of action—the hands that grasp, the feet that move, the tongue that speaks, the organs of excretion and generation—all lose their individual function, merging into their originating principles, now no longer needed.
Freed from gross and subtle form, the Yogi ascends into the realm of Ahankara—the ego principle. There, the subtle elements return to Tamasic Ahankara, the senses merge into Rajasic Ahankara, and the divine controllers of perception and thought dissolve into Sattvic Ahankara. Ego, too, is relinquished, and the Yogi merges into the Mahat-Tattva—the cosmic intelligence that lies just before the root of all material existence.
At last, the three gunas themselves—Sattva, Rajas, and Tamas—dissolve into their source. The veil of Prakriti, the primal matter that clothes the soul in illusion, is finally pierced. This is the final concealment, the last curtain drawn.
O King, in this sacred moment, during the great dissolution of worlds—Pralaya—the Yogi stands free, untouched by matter, mind, or ego. All coverings gone, he beholds the Supreme: Lord Satchidananda—eternal, conscious, blissful. In this perfect realization, devotion finds its highest fulfillment. The Yogi wants nothing more, asks for no other world. He never returns to Earth, to struggle or sorrow. His journey ends in the joy of nearness—not union—with the Lord, who is ever beyond, ever his beloved master.”
एते सृती ते नृप वेदगीते
त्वयाभिपृष्टे ह सनातने च ।
ये वै पुरा ब्रह्मण आह पृष्ट
आराधितो भगवान् वासुदेवः ॥ ३२॥
न ह्यतोऽन्यः शिवः पन्था विशतः संसृताविह ।
वासुदेवे भगवति भक्तियोगो यतो भवेत् ॥३३॥
O King, you have asked well, and I have answered you in two ways—the paths of Sadyo Mukti, immediate liberation, and Krama Mukti, gradual ascent—both leading to the blessed feet of the Lord. These are not my words alone; they are eternal truths, rooted in the Vedas, unshaken across time.
Long ago, god Brahma himself, ever engaged in devotion, inquired of Lord Vasudeva with great reverence. And the answer he received is none other than what I have spoken to you today. The path is firm, the goal unchanging.
For those who have fallen into the turning wheel of birth and death, caught in the fleeting joys and sorrows of this material world, there is no higher, no more auspicious path than Bhakti—pure devotional service to Lord Vasudeva. All other pursuits fade; only this endures. Through Bhakti alone, the soul is lifted, restored, and fulfilled.
This is the way. This is the truth. And this, O Parikshit, is the only deliverance.
भगवान् ब्रह्मभगवान् कार्त्स्न्येन त्रिरन्वीक्ष्य मनीषया ।
तदध्यवस्यत्कूटस्थो रतिरात्मन् यतो भवेत् ॥३४॥
The venerable Lord Brahma, first-born and foremost among all beings, devoted himself wholly to the study of the Vedas. With unwavering attention and deep concentration, he examined their truths—not once, but three times—scrutinizing every word, every hidden meaning. After this exhaustive reflection, he reached one unshakable conclusion:
That the highest, most sacred Dharma—the one path surpassing all others—is Bhakti, the pure, unwavering devotion to Lord Sarvatma, Sri Krishna, the Soul of all. It is this unique devotion that leads to true fulfillment, and no other pursuit equals its auspiciousness.
भगवान् सर्वभूतेषु लक्षितः स्वात्मना हरिः ।
दृश्यैर्बुद्ध्यादिभिर्द्रष्टा लक्षणैरनुमापकैः ॥ ३५॥
“Sri Hari, the Supreme Lord, dwells within every living being, ever alongside the individual soul—not as the soul itself, but as the eternal witness, the ever-present seer. Alone and all-knowing, He observes every thought, every act, every moment in the life of the individual and the movements of the entire cosmos. Even through reason, mind and intellect can infer this truth: He alone is constant, and His presence underlies all existence,” said Sri Shukacharya.
The Chapter 3, Section 1—verses 3.1.1 and 3.1.2 of Mundaka Upanishad states,
द्वा सुपर्णा सयुजा सखाया समानं वृक्षं परिषस्वजाते ।
तयोरन्यः पिप्पलं स्वाद्वत्त्यनश्नन्नन्यो अभिचाकशीति ॥3.1.1॥
Two birds, inseparable friends, perch on the same tree. One eats the sweet fruit, the other looks on without eating. This profound imagery—of two birds on the same tree—symbolizes the Jīva (individual soul), indulging in worldly pleasures, caught in karma and samsāra, and the Supreme Self (Īśvara), who remains the silent, detached witness. The tree represents the body or the field of experience (Kṣetra). Both birds coexist, yet only one is entangled.
समाने वृक्षे पुरुषो निमग्नोऽनिशया शोचति मुह्यमानः ।
जुष्टं यदा पश्यत्यन्यमीशमस्य महिमानमिति वीतशोकः ॥3.1.2॥
On the same tree, the individual soul is immersed, grieving due to helplessness and delusion. But when it sees the other—the Lord, the glorious one—it becomes free from sorrow. This verse deepens the metaphor: the Jīva, caught in ignorance (avidyā) and suffering from attachment to the material world, finds liberation (mokṣa) when it recognizes the divine presence of the Paramātma.
तस्मात्सर्वात्मना राजन् हरिः राजन् सर्वत्र सर्वदा ।
श्रोतव्यः कीर्तितव्यश्च स्मर्तव्यो भगवान् नृणाम्भगवान्नृणाम् ॥३६॥
Hence, Sri Shukacharya says, O King! For this reason, it becomes the highest duty of every human being—in every state, at all times—to hear of Him, to sing His names, and to remember His glories. For He resides in the lotus of the heart, ever shining, ever near. This alone is the true path to well-being, the source of all auspiciousness, prosperity, and peace in this world.
पिबन्ति ये भगवत आत्मनः सतां
कथामृतं श्रवणपुटेषु सम्भृतम् ।
पुनन्ति ते विषयविदूषिताशयं
व्रजन्ति तच्चरणसरोरुहान्तिकम् ॥ ३७॥
Therefore, the saints and the wise remain immersed in the stories of the Lord—His pastimes, His leelas, His mercy—singing them, sharing them, spreading their fragrance like sacred incense. For the Lord, as Atma, dwells within the heart's lotus, watching with love. Those blessed souls who gather to hear these sacred tales—who drink this nectar through the vessel of the ear—cleanse their hearts of worldly taint. The rust of materialism fades, and what remains is pure longing for Him.
Such purified devotees are lifted, drawn to His divine feet. And so it is declared: let one devote their life to Bhakti alone—unshakable, unending devotion to Bhaktavatsala, the Lord who loves His devotees more than anything else.
This composition is not merely a commentary—it is a living meditation. It draws us beyond thought into experience, from knowledge into devotion, from separation into belonging.
Thus ends the ascent—not in vanishing, but in presence. The Yogi, free from even the subtlest veils, does not dissolve into light or void, but meets the gaze of the ever-present Lord. His journey is not self-annihilation but self-offering. What fades is only the illusion of apartness; what remains is eternal relationship.
This, the sages declare, is the highest path:
Not liberation for its own sake.
Not dominion, not destination—
Only Bhakti. Pure, unshaken, and complete.
And the highest truth? It is He—Śrīman Nārāyaṇa— the creator of all, the soul of all, the beloved Lord in whom all paths find their end.
As affirmed by the Ṛṣis, by Brahmā himself, and by the Lord’s own word:
There is no greater path, no deeper peace, no truer home than this—
To belong wholly to Him. To remember Him, praise Him, serve Him,
and seek nothing but His nearness.
In Bhakti to Vāsudeva lies the one enduring refuge.
इति श्रीमद्भागवते महापुराणे पारमहंस्यां संहितायां
द्वितीयस्कन्धे पुरुषसंस्थावर्णनं नाम द्वितीयोऽध्यायः ॥ २॥
"With this, we conclude The Framework Structure of Creation by Purusha, the second Adhyaya of Srimad Bhagavatam Skanda 2.
This has been possible only by the grace of Guru Sri Raghavendra and his esteemed philosophical associates, including Sri Saunaka and his fellow Rishis, Sri Sutacharya, Sri Shukacharya, God Vayu, and Sri Hari, whose divine wisdom (Jnana Prasada) has guided us.
As this sacred journey of dissolution and surrender concludes, we turn to the heart of Vijaya Dāsaru (1682–1755), who sings aloud what the silent Yogi lives within - rendered soulfully by Pt. Bhimsen Joshi in "Sada Enna Hrudayadalli"
For lyrics and translation below:
Sadā enna hr̥dayadalli vāsa māḍō śrī hari
Nāda mūrti ninna pāda mōdadinda bhajisuve
O Lord Sri Hari, dwell forever in my heart.
O embodiment of divine music, I joyfully worship your feet.
Jñānavembō navaratnada maṇṭapada madhyadalli
Vēṇu lōlana kuḷḷirisi dhyānadinda bhajisuve
Within the jeweled pavilion of wisdom formed by nine gems,
I enthrone you, O Flute Player, and worship through deep meditation.
Bhaktirasa vembō muttu māṇikyada harivāṇadi
Muktanāga bēku endu muttina ārati ettuve
With devotion as radiant as a plate of pearls and rubies,
Yearning for liberation, I lift the ārati with shining pearls.
Ninna nānu biḍuvanalla enna nīnu biḍalusalla
Ghanna mahima vijaya viṭhṭhala ninna bhakutara kēḷōsolla
Pannaga shayana ninna pāda mōdadinda bhajisuve
I shall not forsake you, nor do you abandon me,
O great and glorious Vijaya Vittala, heed your devotee’s call.
O Serpent-reclining Lord, I worship your feet with joyful reverence.
॥ Hari Om ॥
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